Almost Perfect
by pageturner96
Summary: "Practice makes Perfect" that's what the instructors at the Long Island Institute for the Arts, a prestigious arts high school on Long Island, say. To new student Clary Fray, whose life has been anything but perfect, this is a new concept, but when she meets fellow student Jace Lightwood, "Perfect" becomes something attainable, well maybe "Almost Perfect."
1. The Institute

**Hey everybody! This is my first **_**Mortal Instruments**_** fanfiction and I'm super excited about it. While this isn't my first fanfiction I would still really love it if I could get some feedback. Love it? Hate it? Want me to add something to the story? I'm always open to suggestions and second opinions.**

** Just as a clarifying note all the characters in this story will be human. Also just to forewarn you I like to write stories in different POVs, but I will only have one POV per chapter. I'm thinking for this story that odd numbered chapters will be Clary's POV and even numbered chapters will be Jace's POV.**

**I don't own the Mortal Instruments.**

"Clary, you've got mail," My mom's voice called from the small kitchen of Luke's house. "It's from the Institute," she added as an afterthought.

The mention of the Institute snapped me out of my nervous nail-biting fit. I had been expecting the letter yesterday and had begun to worry that it wasn't coming at all. I had applied earlier in the summer to the Long Island Institute for the Arts, one of the most prestigious arts high schools in the country. I had been confident at first that I would get in, but then the letter wasn't there. I had started to fear that I was so terrible that I wasn't even worth being informed that I hadn't been accepted. My fingers were tearing at the envelope before my mom could even look at the next piece of mail. Unfolding the paper with shaking hands, I quickly skimmed the letter. I notice my mom's questioning look and began to read the letter to her.

"Miss. Fray, after careful consideration of all the applications it is a pleasure to inform you that you have been accepted to study at the Long Island Institute for the Arts." I stopped as arms were flung around me and I was pulled into my mother's tight embrace. I felt the tears sting my eyes and let them flow, clutching to my mother and holding onto the paper like it was the only thing holding me to the Earth. "Pinch me I must be dreaming," I whispered into my mother's ear.

I felt her body shake as she laughed and pinched my arm. I didn't wake up. A grin found its way onto my face, and I couldn't seem to get rid of it.

Luke, my soon to be step-father, chose that moment to enter the room, and took in the scene before him with a confused look on his face.

"I got in," I squealed, no longer able to contain my excitement, and allowed him to pull me into his strong arms for a hug.

"I knew you could do it," he smiled.

It took me a minute to calm down, but when I did I finished reading the letter aloud. "We look forward to seeing you on orientation and move-in day on August 26th. On this day you will be able to meet other students as well as your teachers, and get settled into your new home here at the Institute. Enjoy the remainder of the summer and welcome to the Institute, Mayrse Lightwood, Headmaster."

The mood in the room became slightly somber at the reminder that, with my acceptance, I would no longer be able to live at home. The school was located on Long Island, near Montauk, too far to commute every day. I, like most of the students would have to live in the dorms. Mom had been reluctant to let me go for that reason, but she knew how much this meant to me, and eventually agreed to let me apply.

"Let's go out to dinner to celebrate," Luke suggested," Invite Simon too; he'll want to know that you got accepted."

"That sounds like a great idea," I said as I went looking for my phone to call Simon.

Two minutes later I heard Simon's voice on the other end of the line, "Hello."

"Hey, it's me," I wasn't able to hide the excitement in my voice despite trying to act calm.

"What's up?" He asked. The curiosity in his voice was plain.

"I got in, I just got the letter!" my elation obvious in my voice.

"Really, so did I!"

"Simon, I didn't even know you applied," I said surprised.

"I didn't want to tell you. Just in case I didn't get in. I didn't want you to feel bad for me or not go because of me. I'll have to work hard to get better, but the man who I auditioned for said I showed a lot of promise."

"That's great Simon," I congratulated. I could picture his smile from the other end of the phone.

* * *

I looked down at the empty suitcase that sat on my bed in the guest room at Luke's and sighed. Turning around I opened one of my dresser drawers and started to pull out my clothes, carefully packing them in the suitcase. Once I had finished with my clothes I packed up my remaining belongings, taking special care with my art supplies and a framed photo of Mom, Luke and I at the farmhouse.

Zipping the suitcase shut I sat down on the bed, thinking of all my memories of this room, and smiling to myself. This is it; I'm really leaving in just thirty short minutes.

The door creaked open and Luke stuck his head through the crack. "Need any help with your bags?" he asked. I nodded grateful for his help.

In the driveway was Luke's old pickup truck with mine and Simon's bags in the back. Mrs. Lewis hadn't been able to get enough time off work to drive her son to the Institute herself, so Luke had offered to drive him.

I climbed up into the truck and sat in the middle after saying goodbye to my mom, and Simon climbed up after me.

Luke gave Mom a quick kiss goodbye and climbed into the driver's seat to start the car. The engine roared to life and we waved to my mom as we pulled out of the drive and started on our way to the Institute.

The city flashed by and soon enough it was gone, left behind, and I settled in for the drive ahead of us.

* * *

The first thing I saw when I was shaken awake was the ocean stretching on for what seemed like forever. Then I saw the school. It was made up of four buildings, all facing the water, that looked too old to be there, but still looked beautiful. The sight made my fingers itch for my sketch book. Around us teenagers were getting dropped off or reuniting with friends. One group of students had started to play music, and I could hear their singing.

I could smell the salt water when I stepped out of the truck and breathed it in in large gulps; it was so much cleaner than city air. "Do you need me to come in with you?" Luke asked as he reached into the bed of his truck to get our suitcases out.

"We'll be fine," I told him, giving him a goodbye hug.

"You're sure?"

"Yes, we're sure," I replied.

"Okay," he said, getting back into his truck, "Remember to call when you can."

"I will," I called back as he pulled out of his spot in the parking lot and drove away leaving Simon and I alone with our luggage.

A sea breeze blew my red hair around as Simon and I walked towards a building that had a banner above the door that read "All students check in inside". Several other students were going in and out of the building, chatting excitedly with friends.

The wind stopped abruptly as we entered the building and the air conditioning was a relief from the summer heat outside. There were small groups of teenagers scattered around the room, but most were standing in a line that ended at a desk with a woman sitting behind it. There were two boxes filled with files sitting on the desk. As I watched she handed one of the files to the girl at the front of the line and motioned the next student forward.

"Name please." I looked up to find that I had made it to the front of the line.

"Clarissa Fray," I told her.

She fingered through the folders and pulled one out that had "Clarissa Fray" written on it. "Welcome to the Institute," she said with a smile as she handed me the folder.

I stepped off to the side and only had to wait a minute before Simon joined me with a folder of his own and we walked outside again. The energy of the people all around us was contagious. The air was buzzing with words, said and unsaid. Excited shouts, squeals, and yelling rang out all around us as friend greeted friend. I've never seen a group of kids more excited to be at school in my entire life.

Stepping out of the way I opened the folder and rifled through its contents. At the very top was a map of the school grounds. The four buildings were marked as "Administration", "School", "Boy's Dorm", and the final building, circled in red pen "Girl's Dorm". In the top right corner was a box with the words "Room number" in it and a 27 filled in on the line that followed. The back side of the map provided a more detailed map of the school building. I looked over to see Simon examining a similar piece of paper.

The sheet below that appeared to be a class schedule. I still had all the regular subjects, but a big block of my mornings were going to be spent in one of the art rooms. Moving the schedule to examine the next item I found a student handbook and a blue sheet of paper that read "Orientation Day Instructions (Aug.26)" at the top. I pulled out the latter and nudged Simon so that he would read it too.

With Simon looking over my shoulder I quickly read down the list then placed it back in the folder with everything else. Simon had already put his papers into his folder and picked up his bags. We moved into the flow of teens heading towards the dorms to get settled in, the first instruction on the list. Reluctantly, we parted ways at the girl's dorm, the closer of the dorms to the administration building, and I went inside to find my room, leaving Simon to get pulled with the crowd to the boy's dorms.

* * *

My eyes fell on the number 27 on a door on the left side of the hall that was propped open with a pink suitcase. I walked into a room with a twin bed, a set of bunk beds and three small desks. On the twin bed sat two more suitcases that matched the one being used to hold the door open. I made my way further into the room and saw a girl with long, waist length black hair fighting to fit her clothes into one of the three small closets I hadn't noticed from the door. Another girl, this one with curly brown hair, was pinning a band poster to a wall with her back to me.

The brown haired girl turned, finished with the poster, and saw me. A warm smile spread across her face as she walked over to me. "Hi, I'm Maia," she said, extending her hand for me to shake.

"Clary," I replied as we shook.

Our brief conversation had caught the attention of the other girl who had appeared to have lost the battle with her closet. "I'm Isabelle, but you can call me Izzy," she stated," and good luck fitting your clothes into the closet, they're about the size of shoe boxes."

"I had no problem fitting all my clothes in my closet," Maia chimed in.

"My closet is almost as big as this room at home. I wish Mom didn't make us live in the dorms; the house is only ten minutes away," Izzy informed.

"Then why do you live in the dorms?" I asked, my curiosity getting the best of me.

"My mom's the headmaster here, but she says she doesn't want to give my brothers and I any special treatment while we're at school. Staying in the dorms makes us just like most of the other students. It also means they don't have to eat my cooking, which is terrible," she answered.

"Oh," I replied, not quite sure how to respond to that, and then asked," So, which bed is mine?"

"Top bunk, but you could have the bottom if you really wanted it," Maia told me.

"The top will be fine," I reassured her, and began to unpack my suitcase.

Despite Izzy's warning about the closets I was able to fit all my clothes easily in the closet as well as some of my other things. I carefully put my art supplies in the desk that was mine and placed the picture on the top, smiling as I did so.

While we had been unpacking I had gotten to know my roommates better as we asked each other questions. While Izzy lived only ten minutes away with her parents and three brothers, Maia was from New Jersey where she had lived with her parents after her brother had died. I, in turn told them about New York and Mom and Luke and our small apartment over the bookshop. They didn't press for many more details, and for that I liked them immediately; they didn't need to know the whole story.

* * *

Twenty minutes later Maia, Izzy, and I were standing near the entrance to the school building, looking for Izzy's brothers and Simon. Many of the students were already inside in the auditorium for the assembly that would begin in fifteen minutes, but I wanted to find Simon, and Izzy wanted to find her brothers, so we were outside waiting. I was just thinking that Simon was already inside when I saw a group of five boys headed down the path towards us.

I recognized Simon immediately, and one of the boys I could tell, even from this distance, was Izzy's brother. The third of the boys stood out with his sparkly spiked hair and bright clothes that made the fourth boy who was walking next to him look colorless in comparison, although that didn't stop the boy from being quite good looking. It was the fifth boy however, that had me puzzled. He didn't seem like the type to be at an art school. _Unless he was modeling for a drawing class _I thought, taking in his golden hair and perfect features, and then I saw his eyes, a mesmerizing gold color, and I knew that if I wasn't careful I would get lost in them without hope of ever finding my way out.

_Which one was Izzy's second brother? _The five boys were in front of us before I could even try to answer my question. My suspicions about the dark haired boy who looked like Izzy were confirmed as Izzy threw her arms around him, saying "Clary, Maia, this is my older brother Alec," when she released him. She then moved towards the blonde boy to give him a hug. I expected her to say "and this is my boyfriend,…", it only seemed right that two beautiful people should end up together, but the words she said next I hadn't expected to hear at all. "And this is my adopted brother Jace." She turned her attention towards Maia and I then," Everybody these are my roommates, Clary and Maia," she said, gesturing to each of us as she said our names.

"I already know Clary," Simon told Isabelle, and then added at Izzy's confused look, "We're best friends. We came here together. It's nice to meet you Maia and…"

"Isabelle," she supplied.

"Isabelle," he repeated, already sucked in by the beautiful girl.

"I'm Magnus," the boy with sparkly hair introduced himself, "Alec's roommate."

"And Simon and Jordan are my roommates," Jace added, his voice deep and smooth.

With introductions over we headed inside to find seats in the auditorium for the assembly. I had been at this school for no more than a few hours and yet my friends had already increased exponentially. It was starting to don on me that this wasn't going to be your average high school. In this moment my life is perfect, well almost.

**Thanks for reading! I'm really looking forward to writing more chapters for this story, but unfortunately my free time has become rather limited with all my school work. School means a lot to me and I won't blow off my homework to write, so I'm sorry, but I most likely won't be able to update more than once a week. I'll try to work on this when I have the time, so my updates will probably come on weekends. I cannot guarantee any updates, but I will try my hardest to update this as often as possible. I'll try for this weekend for chapter 2.**

**As I said above, any comments, questions, concerns, suggestions, advice, or feedback are welcome so please review!**

**-Pageturner96**


	2. What Is Wrong With Me?

**Sorry I took so long to update, I'm just really overwhelmed with school work right now and don't really have any free time at all. This chapter will be in Jace's POV, and it is a bit shorter, but I wanted to get something out, and I want the next scene to be in Clary's POV. Thanks for reading.**

**I do not own The Mortal Instruments.**

After being kicked out of the house for the school year and moving into a dorm room that I had to share with two other guys I was starting to wonder if there was anything that could make this day salvageable. Not even the stares of adoring girls could improve my mood. It's not that my roommates are all that bad, they actually seemed alright, or even that I don't get to live at home, I just felt like I didn't belong here. Yes, I can play the piano better than most of the other piano players at this school, but I don't want it as much as they do. Piano is my escape, not my career. I was only here to please Mayrse, but there was a part of me that loved to be able to play every day.

My two roommates were also musicians. Simon, the dorkier looking of the two, played the bass, I think. Jordan told us that he was a singer and had been looking for a band for a while with little success. At this Simon had said it was too bad Jordan had lived in New Jersey because his old band had desperately needed a better singer. They then went on to talk about bands I'd never even heard of causing me to drone out their words until it was time to go to the assembly.

We met up with Alec and one of his roommates, a guy named Magnus with sparkly spiked up hair, and walked to the building we would be having classes in. Izzy was waiting for us as promised by the doors with two girls I hadn't seen before. They were both short compared to Izzy, most girls were, the one with flame red hair especially. She was the size of a twelve year old, although I could tell from the curves of her body, just barely visible under her clothes, that she was closer to Izzy's age.

My gaze shifted to the girl with the caramel colored skin and brown hair. She was beautiful, but I could tell from the band T-shirt she was wearing we had nothing in common. She seemed more like the type for one of my roommates.

It was at that point that we were close enough for me to truly see the other girl, and the only word that was adequate enough to describe her was striking. Her flaming red hair caught my eye first, the curls cascading down her back, but when I saw her eyes I knew beautiful just wasn't a good enough adjective to describe her. Two deep pools of emerald green that captured my attention the moment I laid eyes on them. They were filled with mystery, those eyes.

Before I could finish discreetly looking at the girl with the flaming hair Izzy was throwing her arms around Alec and introducing him to the girls. I was next, and I couldn't help but smirk at the redhead's surprised look when Izzy called me her brother. Clary, that's what Izzy called the girl.

I couldn't say why just yet, and I don't understand how it happened, but I wanted to know this girl. There was just something about her, something that made me feel something I didn't understand. Like the strange twinge I felt in my stomach when Simon said they were best friends, but I could see he wished they were more. As we walked into the auditorium I couldn't get her out of my mind. What is it about this girl?

Even as Mayrse glared at me while she droned on about expectations and the rules I continued to let myself be lost in my own thoughts. _What was wrong with me? _I'm Jace Lightwood I don't get, dare I even say it, jealous. I could have any girl I wanted, but why was it this one that had me so confused? She actually made me _want_ to belong here.

* * *

Somehow we all managed to stay together in the press of people leaving the auditorium. When we broke free from the mass of teenagers Izzy offered to show everyone the campus. There was no formal tour organized for new students, but Izzy, Alec, and I knew the grounds well being the children of the headmaster, so we showed our new friends around.

I had decided during the assembly that I would just avoid Clary and let Simon have her. He had clearly had a crush on her for a long time now, but I couldn't tell if she felt the same. I would stick to being just friends. I didn't understand what I was feeling and that in itself had me scared as hell.

"What are you thinking about?" it was Clary's voice. I had fallen behind without realizing it and she had left Simon's side to walk beside me. "You looked like you were thinking hard about something," she added at my confused look. I must have let my guard down and let something show in my face.

"It's nothing," I replied quickly.

"It didn't look like nothing," she prodded.

"Maybe I'll tell you someday," I replied, and then at her puzzled look I added, "When I know you better."

She nodded in understanding, but instead of moving to walk by Simon again like I thought she would, she stayed by my side and we walked in companionable silence. Sometimes she would ask me a question about the school, but she didn't ask me what I had been thinking again. She seemed to understand me like even Alec and Izzy couldn't, and I'd met her less than an hour ago. Maybe it was just wishful thinking.

* * *

Orientation day was a few days before school actually started to give everyone time to settle in, explore the campus, and meet people. Izzy had decided that to get to know each other better we would all go into town tomorrow. As soon as we left the girls at the girl's dorm it was all the other guys could talk about, but I was lost in my thoughts once again. Until I fell asleep that night all I could think about was the mystery that was Clary. I would stick to my decision to just be friends, because I had no idea just what it was this girl was doing to me.

* * *

I dragged myself out of bed the next morning and into one of the showers in our floors shared bathroom. The warm water on my skin woke me up and I found myself actually excited for today. I pulled on a pair of shorts and a white t-shirt and headed back to my room to find Jordan and Simon ready to go. I slipped on my shoes and put my wallet in my back pocket and we went to look for Alec and Magnus, and then go meet up with the girls.

We had started out late so it was noon when we got to town and we decided to talk about what we would do over lunch at Taki's, the best restaurant in town; there weren't many restaurants in town, but it was still the best. No sooner had we sat down than the waitress was at our table. It was my ex, Kaelie, we had broken up a year ago because she was too clingy for my taste, but when ever she saw me she just assumed I wanted to get back together, or that we actually were back together. I kind of wished she would just leave town.

"Jace, did you come to beg me to come back to you; to tell me that breaking up with me was the biggest mistake you ever made?" she asked.

"Actually, I came to order a sandwich," I corrected, and she slammed down the menus and stormed away.

I caught Clary studying me with a funny look on her face and smirked, I couldn't tell what she was thinking, but I knew that assumptions were being made about me. Just one more thing to add to the list of mysteries that is Clary.

**Thanks for reading and I hope you liked it. Again I don't know when the next update will be, but there will be an update. **

** Please review, it really motivates me to write more when you do.**

**-Pageturner96**


	3. What Friends Are For

**Sorry it's been so long since I last updated, but I've been really busy with school and an original story that I'm currently in the early stages of writing. I hope you like this chapter! This one will be in Clary's POV.**

**I do not own the Mortal Instruments**

He was a player; that much I could tell. The waitress did seem like the clingy type that would make a terrible girlfriend, but he didn't have to treat her like that, even if she was, as I assumed, his ex. She looked and acted desperate; the neckline of her shirt was cut so low and her skirt so short that she just screamed slut. She was practically jumping into his lap until he told her off. Normally I hated these types of girls, but all I felt for her was pity.

I saw Jace smirk at me as he picked up a menu and I looked away, picking up a menu of my own. As I studied my choices I puzzled over the mystery that was Jace. He was gorgeous; the only problem in that being that he knew it. He wasn't just a pretty face though; there was something deeper than the pretty boy face and the player attitude. I didn't quite know what to think of him.

"I was thinking we could go down to the pier after we had lunch; maybe go down to the beach and walk around," Izzy said over her menu.

"I thought you would want to go shopping," Alec commented.

"You know just as well as I do that this place was not meant for an Isabelle Lightwood shopping spree," she replied and everyone agreed that going to the pier or the beach would be fine.

"What can I get for everyone?" the waitress was a different one than before.

* * *

An hour later we were standing on the beach, the cool Atlantic breeze blowing my hair around. The sun was warm on my face from my seat in the sand next to Simon. I could hear the crash of the waves as they broke and the murmur of voices from some of the others. Jordan and Maia were sitting together further down the beach; anyone who didn't know them would think that they were a couple that had been dating for a long time, and I couldn't help but wonder if they would start dating anytime soon. Alec and Magnus stood together near the edge of the surf, narrowly avoiding the waves at times. Jace and Izzy sat together in the sand just close enough that I could hear their words, helped along by the wind.

"But I'm worried about you, Jace," Izzy fretted.

"Why?" he questioned.

"You're constantly getting into bad relationships, that's why," she answered, "When was the last time you had a real relationship, with a decent girl, and it wasn't about lust? Why can't you open yourself up to something like that? I know you, and this jerky player isn't you. Something's wrong, Jace. I just want you to be happy."

"Well maybe I just wasn't meant to have happiness," he replied in an annoyed tone.

"I'm your sister, Jace; please tell me what's been bothering you lately."

"Will you leave me alone if I tell you," he asked sounding defeated.

"Of course," she replied.

"Fine," he sighed, "I don't belong at the institute. I don't fit in with everyone there." He walked away from her then and headed towards the water, his feet kicking up sand as he went.

Izzy sighed and came over to sit next to me, "I wish I could help cheer him up," she sighed. She looked over at me, "He's really a good guy; he just needs the right person to bring that out."

* * *

It was sunset when we got back to the institute, the sky was a beautiful golden orange, and Simon asked if I would walk around campus with him for a bit. He seemed nervous but I couldn't pinpoint why. After five minutes of silence we were on the path that ran along the top of the beach at the institute. I could tell he wanted to talk about something, but not what. He stopped suddenly and turned to look at me.

"Clary, I've been thinking, and there's something I've wanted to tell you for a while now that I want you to know. I guess I just figured that this was a new life for us and why not add something else new, you know," He was rambling, but I nodded for him to continue. "We've been friends for a long time now, and I was thinking that maybe it's time for us to be more than friends," he looked at me to gauge my reaction.

"Simon, I don't understand," I said confusedly.

"I'm saying I want you to be my girlfriend."

"But you're my best friend, and I need you to be that more than ever right now," I told him.

"Is there someone else?" he asked.

"I don't like you like that Si."

"You wouldn't even try? How do you know that you wouldn't feel anything if we kissed right now?" he asked.

"I don't know, but I guess we could try if it would make you feel better."

He nodded and took a step towards me, leaning down as I tilted my face up to his. His arms found their way around my waist as he pulled me closer still, and I could almost pretend it was the embrace of a friend until he brought his lips to mine in a gentle, sweet kiss. The feel of his lips against mine was foreign and strange, _like kissing your brother _I thought as I broke the kiss and backed away from him.

"I'm sorry, Simon," I said to his disappointed expression.

"You tried, Clary, that's all that matters to me."

* * *

Later that evening I was sitting in a chair at Pandemonium, the "club" where all the students liked to hang out. In reality it was just a building just off of campus that must have been a dance hall a long time ago. I was told that a resident of the town had bought it and opened it as a club for young people. There was music and dancing, as well as food and drinks. The place was packed.

I saw Jace across the room sitting alone, deep in thought, and thought back to Simon's question. _Was there someone else?_ I couldn't answer that question, not right now. Did I have feelings for Jace? I couldn't seem to get him out of my head lately. What am I thinking; I saw how he treated that girl at Taki's. Izzy's words from the beach came back to me then, _"He's really a good guy; he just needs the right person to bring that out."_ Jace was just plain confusing.

"Clary, there you are! What happened to you after we got back?" The voices of Izzy and Maia broke through my thoughts.

I reluctantly told them about what had happened with Simon earlier that evening and they gave me sympathetic looks once they had heard the story.

"Why did he wait to tell you until now?" Maia asked, "Did you have a boyfriend before you came here?"

"No, I've never really had a boyfriend. I mean I've gone on dates, but never more than one or two with the same guy. It always ended up the same; I got dumped and ended up with a broken heart," I sighed.

"Clary, that's terrible. It will be our mission this year to find you an amazing guy. We will find you a real boyfriend, that you actually like, no matter how hard we have to try. Us girls have to stick together," Izzy announced and I knew then what it felt like to have female friends.

** Sorry it's kind of short, but I wanted to update before I forgot about this. There may be another chapter this weekend or Monday, but I can't guarantee that.**

** Please tell me what you think or if you have any suggestions. If there are any characters from the books you want me to include just say so, I'll find a way to include them in the plot, or if you have any suggestions for a plot, because I really don't have anything planned. Please review, it would make my day.**

**-Pageturner96**


	4. Music Lessons

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter; it really means a lot to me. I hope you like this chapter. This one will be in Jace's POV.**

**I do not own the Mortal Instruments**

The music of Pandemonium pounded in my ears, so far from the notes I play on the piano. The lights of the club flashed in a rainbow of color. The smells of sweat, perfume, cologne, and various junk foods collided. Bodies grinded to the beat in ways that—had there been more adults present—would have been discouraged. Pandemonium was an assault of the senses that only a teenager could appreciate enough to enjoy.

The club only operated during the school year seeing as there wouldn't be enough business without the institute's student body, and tonight was the night all the new kids would discover Pandemonium for themselves. Tonight was the night when all the perfect, do as daddy says, good girl, art students would realize that music had more than one purpose. Tonight was a night that guys like me normally thrived on.

Normally I would have found a hot girl—it didn't matter who she was—and enjoyed the night. I would have attracted stares and I would have given suggestive smiles to girls I'd never met. I would have danced until closing and not cared who it was with, just as long as it wasn't Kaelie. I wouldn't have sat around moping, or whatever it was that I was doing. I wouldn't have ignored the suggestive looks of the female patrons of the club. I wouldn't have been thinking about one girl in particular—one with fiery red hair—who I barely knew a thing about.

I caught her sneaking a glance at me, but her expression didn't resemble those of the other girls here tonight—she wasn't gawking at my looks—she looked almost confused. I saw Izzy and Maia sit down next to her and start talking. I couldn't quite place what they were saying from across the room, but it looked like girl talk. Before I could think anymore about Clary, a gorgeous blonde sat down on my lap and brought her lips close to my ear.

"What's a guy like you doing here all alone?" she whispered seductively. "The other girls say you won't dance with anyone, but what about me? Would you dance with me?" Her lips lightly brushed my ear, "Or maybe you just want to get away from here?" she questioned, a suggestive smile playing at her rouged lips. My eyes found Clary—she, Izzy, and Maia were watching us with curious expressions—and the girl followed my gaze. The girls looked away, but the blonde in my lap turned back to me, "I could make you forget whichever one of them it is. Let me help you forget," her breath was hot against my cheek as she found my hand and pulled me along to the door.

* * *

I had convinced the girl that I didn't want to do anything with her and sent her home pouting. My feet had moved of their own accord after that, taking me back to my dorm. In the light of the morning I was surprised with my actions, I needed to think. As I normally did when I needed to think I found myself in one of the music rooms in the school, sitting on a piano bench, my fingers playing whatever my mood told them to. The sound resonated around the room, and relaxed my mind.

_Did Izzy have a reason to be worried about me? I wasn't that put off, was I? Was I showing that much, or did she just know me too well?_ If only someone understood.

I heard the sound of footsteps behind me, but didn't look up. It would be Izzy or Alec, looking for me. When the intruder showed herself however, I found it was not one of my siblings, but Clary. She sat down beside me, and I let the last few notes echo around the room.

"You're really good," she said, sounding somewhat in awe, "I didn't expect that from you. It was beautiful."

"What did you expect?" I asked smirking, curious for her reply.

"I don't know, actor, maybe a guitarist, but not classically trained pianist."

I chuckled softly, "Sorry to disappoint," I replied.

"But you didn't."

"What about you?" I asked, changing the subject, "What are you? An actor, you'd make a good little kid," I teased.

"No, I'm an artist," she stated after giving me a gentle push for teasing her. She looked down at the keys in front of us and reached out to run her fingers over the tops. "I always wanted to learn to play an instrument," she said dreamily, "Would you teach me something?" she asked, looking me in the eyes.

"Sure," I answered and took her small hands in mine, maybe for a few seconds longer than necessary, before placing them on the correct keys. Both our eyes watched my hands on top of hers. I told her witch keys to press and showed her how on my side of the piano, and then listened as she slowly played the notes to the child's lullaby I had shown her. I studied her silhouette as she concentrated on playing the tune, and took in the details of her face.

She was just as beautiful as my first impression of her, if not more, definitely prettier than the blonde from the club, and she seemed so much more genuine. She looked up when she saw me watching her. Her eyes met mine, the light made her deep green eyes sparkle as she looked up at my gold ones.

"Thanks." She had whispered to account for our closeness.

"Maybe you could teach me to draw sometime," I suggested, not sure where it had come from.

"I'd like that," she replied, hesitated, then added, "I think we could really be good friends." She got up after that and left the room leaving me even more confused than I had been when I came here. Girls normally would throw themselves at me, but she just wanted to be friends. Of course I was fairly sure she was dating Simon, I was sure of that after I had seen them kissing last night, so I don't know what I expected. What was it that bothered me about her use of the word "friend" then?

* * *

It was the last day before classes started and I found myself looking for Clary. I found her down on the rocky beach I front of the institute, sketch pad in her lap and a case filled with pencils at her side. The sketch pad showed the ocean scene before her, taking on color as her pencil moved expertly across the page.

_This must be her piano, her place to think_, I thought as I sat down next to her. I didn't say anything, just stared out at the waves as they crashed down on the shore. I breathed in the salt air and caught the faint smell of vanilla coming from Clary. I moved closer to get a better look at the drawing.

"It looks just like the real thing," I commented.

"Thanks," she said, looking up from her drawing.

"You nervous for tomorrow?" I asked her with a knowing smirk.

"A bit," she replied, turning back to the picture.

"Anything I can do to help?"_What is wrong with me?_

"If I think of anything I'll let you know," she smiled, "But I appreciate the offer. Now, didn't you say you wanted me to teach you to draw yesterday?"

I nodded, and she ripped a piece of paper out of the sketch pad and handed me a pencil.

**Thanks for reading. I don't know when the next time I will be able to update will be, but I will be updating at some time. Please review!**

**-Pageturner96**


	5. Good To Know

**Sorry I took so long to update, but I've been so busy with school. Thank you for being patient with me. This chapter is in Clary's POV.**

**I do not own the Mortal Instruments.**

I watched Jace's hands as he moved the pencil across the paper. The mark left behind couldn't even begin to pass for the beach scene before us, but it was a start, and I can't imagine that I was that much better on the piano. "Don't press so hard," I suggested, "and actually look at what you're drawing."

"What if I'm too busy looking at my teacher?" he asked, turning his gaze towards me.

I held his gaze for a second, and then turned back to my sketch pad. "Then maybe you should try a little harder," I said, realizing only after I said it how cold it sounded.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. It was inappropriate, you have a boyfriend." He seemed shocked with himself for his words.

"What do you mean, _I have a boyfriend_?" I asked, confused now.

"But what about Simon?" he questioned.

"What about him, he's my best friend."

"So, I guess in the big city "best friends" kiss each other on the lips all the time," his voice was laced with sarcasm.

He must have seen us the other night, but he obviously didn't know the whole story. "No they don't," I admitted, "But one of those friends isn't always in love with the other one who is completely oblivious of the fact."

"And you're the oblivious one, right," he asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, I was," I conceded.

"Good to know," he said, his voice thoughtful.

* * *

The next morning was the first day of school. Mornings at the institute were spent in our special classes. The school offered classes in art, music, theatre, dance, and fashion design. Out of my group of friends I was the only one in art classes, but I was alright with that, when I draw I drown out the world anyways. Izzy and Magnus were, unsurprisingly, in fashion design and I was told that Alec was in theatre. Everyone else did something music related, although I think they were all in different areas of the music department.

The second I walked in the art room door that morning I felt at home. All the supplies that I wouldn't have even dreamed of having access to at public school was just laying there in neat containers, waiting to be used. Endless types of paper and canvases were waiting for use. Objects that could only be in the same room for the purpose of creating a still life were scattered everywhere creating just the right amount of clutter. It was a young artists dream.

Regular classes began at 10:30 in the morning. When I walked into my first class I didn't know a single person, so I sat down in a desk in the back away from the large group who all seemed to know each other. Then Jace walked through the door and quickly scanned the room. His golden eyes landed on me and he began to move in my direction. His actions were met with stares from the group. I'm guessing they were his friends.

"What are you doing all alone back here?" he asked as he sat down next to me.

"Sitting," I replied.

"I would _never_ have guessed that," he said with a smirk.

* * *

After math I had English with Maia and Izzy and then science with Jordan, Magnus, and Alec. Then it was finally lunch time. The Institute was a small school so everyone ate lunch at the same time. As I exited the lunch line I saw Izzy waving to me, so I went over to her table to join her. Soon after Simon plopped down across from me and Maia pulled out the chair on my other side. Alec, Magnus, Jordan, and Jace joined us shortly after that. Lunch was surprisingly good; I guess that's what you get a private school.

Not long after we all sat down a two boys come over to our table. They looked like the school jocks, but I didn't know what they could be doing at a school for the arts. "What are you doing over here, Jace?" asked the one with the darker hair. He was handsome, but had an evil look to him that made me want to run away.

"Sitting with some friends, Sebastian," Jace calmly replied.

"But we're your friends," the blond one countered, gesturing at a table filled with other jock looking boys and girls with thin dancer's bodies.

"I have a lot of friends, Jonathan, what can I say. Everybody wants a piece of this." Jace' smirk was animated and forced.

"When you've come to your senses, we'll be over there," Sebastian pointed at their table. "The sooner you get over these losers, the better." Jonathan and Sebastian turned and walked away.

"Don't pay them any attention guys, there just a bunch of wannabes with rich daddies who do more partying than acting or dancing or whatever it is they do." Jace's contempt was plain.

_What did they ever do to him?_

* * *

My first class after lunch was history. Izzy, Maia, Jace and I sat in the back of the room together waiting for the teacher to make an appearance. When she finally did rush into the classroom at the bell she was flustered and apologized to us for almost being late. She began telling us about what we would learn that year while cutting strips of paper and letting them fall into a hat. My best guess was that they had our names on them.

When she finished with her cutting she explained that we would be working on a project of our choice with a partner that would be presented to the class at the end of the semester. She explained that she would be assigning partners today and that that was the purpose of the hat. She would pick a name from the hat and then that person would come to the front of the room and pick a slip from the hat. That person would be their partner. Once everyone had a partner she would hand out a sheet with possible topics and project options and we would have the rest of the period to discuss with our partners.

She reached into the hat and pulled out the first slip of the white paper. Carefully, she opened the slip and read the name, and then aloud she said, "Isabelle Lightwood."

Izzy sauntered up to the front of the room, her heels clicking on the tile, and pulled a paper from the hat. She delicately opened it and scanned the name. "My partner is…" she smiled at the hopeful looks of the boys in the room, "Maia Roberts." I heard a collective sigh of disappointment from the males in the room.

A few names later I heard the teacher's voice reading my name. I felt everyone's eyes on me as I walked to the front of the room and pulled one of the remaining slips from the hat. My hands shook slightly as I unfolded the paper and read the name. My heart skipped a beat, and I couldn't tell if it was excitement or nervousness that caused it. "Jace Wayland," I read. I could hear the jealous whispers of other girls as I walked to my seat next to Izzy.

* * *

"So what's the deal with Sebastian, Jonathan and them," I asked Jace when we had work time.

"I used to be friends with them last year; most of them aren't from New York so I didn't see them over the summer. They're just here because their dads bought them into the school. Few of them actually have any talent, in fact if you have talent you're not allowed to hang out with them because you might show them up," he explained.

"But you have talent."

"I'm the rich headmasters adopted son, my real parents were rich, and as I'm sure you've noticed: I'm gorgeous." His smirk creped onto his face again.

I rolled my eyes at him, "But, you're still really talented. What happened to no one outshining them?"

"They didn't know. They're all actors or dancers, they never heard me play."

"I still don't get it, why did you leave them?"

"I hung out with them because I didn't feel like I deserved to be here, and figured I fit in with them for that reason. I left them because I've started to feel like I do have a place here," he looked me in the eyes, "and I think I need to start acting like it. I decided I'd start hanging out with people who do belong here, like you. And so far I don't regret it." He held my gaze for a few seconds before looking away, seeming unsure of himself. I didn't quite know what to make of it.

**I hope you liked this chapter and I'll try to have another up before Christmas, but I can't guarantee it. Please Review.**

**-Pageturner96**


	6. Why?

Why? Why had I poured my heart out to this girl? I barely know her, and I basically just told her I gave up my old friends for her. But it was true; I had left them behind for my new friends. Why?

Why? Why couldn't I get her out of my head? She wasn't just some random girl; that much I could tell. She's a puzzle that I can't figure out. Strangely enough though, I didn't want to get her image out of my head. Why?

My fingers glided across the piano pounding out a tune that my mind didn't process. My bag sat on the floor next to the bench, but my mind was far away. This was my thinking spot, my escape from the rest of the world. I had been here since the final bell rang at three and didn't know or care what time it was now.

"Were you going to eat dinner or were you planning on playing all night long?" It was Izzy's voice, teasing but kind.

"It's that late already?" My hands fell from the keys.

She motioned for me to make room for her on the bench and sat down next to me. "What is it that's kept you in here so long?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. "You do trust me enough that you would tell me if there was something wrong, right?"

"Of course I do, Izz; I'm just confused. I needed to work some things out."

"What kind of things?"

"There's this girl, and I can't seem to get her out of my head."

"I see," there was something in her voice I couldn't quit pick out, maybe some feminine sense. "Anything I can do to help?"

"I'll be fine, Izz," I said while getting up and slinging my backpack onto my shoulders. "What's for supper?"

* * *

The week went by with one day the same as the next. Izzy had watched me closely all week long, and while I knew it was out of sisterly love I still found it bothersome. It had been about twenty minutes since the final bell of the week had rung. I was sitting on the beach, letting the sand run through my hands over and over again.

It was quiet here; most of the students went into town or over to Pandemonium on a Friday night. Some of the students who lived closer were heading home for the weekend by this time. I was all alone; this part of campus was deserted.

I heard the noise of footsteps and saw Izzy making her way across the sand towards me. She sighed as she sat down next to me.

"Why is the first week always the longest?" She asked me.

"I thought the last was always the longest," I commented, reminding her of her words at the end of the last school year.

"Fine, it's the second longest week. Speaking of this past week, did you manage to work out the thing you were having trouble with at the beginning of the week?"

"Not really." I could hear the weariness in my own voice.

"I guess I've got two people with relationship issues to deal with now."

"Who's the second?" I asked curiously.

"I've taken a vow to find Clary a decent boyfriend this year," she replied.

"She needs help with that?" I didn't see why someone like Clary would need assistance finding someone willing to go out with her.

"Don't sound so surprised. She's been hurt in the past. Girls have to stick together."

"If you say so."

"You know, you deserve better too," her voice was sad.

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"You always date girls that are beneath you; easy girls. You deserve someone better than that; someone as amazing as you are."

"Well I am pretty amazing," I said with a smirk.

"You know what I mean," she said nudging me playfully with her elbow.

"Yeah, I do," I conceded.

"I know you normally _do_ other things on a Friday night, but would you come to Pandemonium tonight?" she asked changing the subject.

"First of all, on a Friday night I normally play, I don't _do_ anyone as you seem to think I do," I corrected.

"No, you don't do anyone, you _play_," she interrupted.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Izz, you may be doing that kind of thing but I'm all alone with a piano. Now if you would let me finish, I guess I could find my way over to Pandemonium tonight if you really want me to."

She clapped her hands in devious excitement, hugged me, and then got up saying she had to go get ready and that she would look for me there.

* * *

The familiar pounding of the music bombarded me the second I entered the club. I spotted Izzy sitting with Clary and Simon in a quiet corner and made my way through the crush of people that was typical of a Friday night to their corner.

"I almost thought you were going to bail on me," Izzy said into my ear as she hugged me.

"I'm here," I replied.

It only took about two minutes before Izz announced that she was bored and wanted to dance. She looked at each of us, her eyes finally landing on Simon. She grabbed him by the hand and dragged him out onto the floor with her, giving me a look I couldn't decipher as she went.

When I turned back to Clary she was looking at me expectantly. "Are you going to ask me to dance, or are we just going to awkwardly stand here?" her voice was harsh but I could pick out the joking tone behind it.

"Of course," I replied and lead her out onto the dance floor.

"Izzy was saying this isn't your usual Friday night scene," she yelled over the music.

"No, I normally practice my music, although sometimes I'll go into town or visit Maryse and Robert."

"What's there to do in town on a Friday night?"

"Depends on who you're with," I replied vaguely.

"What if you were with me?" She asked.

"We could go see a movie or hang out on the beach, maybe get dinner."

"Dinner? I didn't realize we were that close yet."

"Let's just dance," I covered up my slip.

I felt alive dancing with Clary; more alive than I had ever felt with any girl I'd ever been with. We were so focused on each other that the owner of the club had to come tap me on the shoulder to tell me it was closing time. When I looked around everyone else was gone. My watch read twenty past midnight.

On the walk back to the dorms we went by the beach and decided to take our shoes off and walk in the surf. When we reached the dorms we walked up the beach and sat on the rocks that kept the sand off the campus paths.

Clary laid back on the large rock we shared to look at the stars and patted the rock next to her. I laid down beside her and gazed up at the pitch black sky dotted with thousands of stars.

"I've never seen this many stars before; you can't see them in the city. They're so beautiful."

I turned to lay on my side so I could look at her. "Yeah, but they're nothing compared to you." I must have been high on adrenaline and the night air because I would have never said something like that otherwise.

"You really think so?" a blush was showing on her cheeks.

"Yeah," I inched closer, no longer knowing what my next move would be. She scooted closer in response, her face inches from mine. My eyes lingered on her pink lips and I found her looking at me when I met her eyes.

We were like that for a few moments; both of us hesitant to close the gap. I made the first move and closed the space between us, bringing my lips to hers.

The kiss was soft and hesitant at first, but there was a desperate feeling there that I had never had before. Clary was no one night stand and all I wanted was to let her know that. I pulled her closer to me and wrapped my arms around her waist as her arms found their way around to the back of my neck. At that moment everything felt right.


End file.
